For reasons that are unlikely to become clear at the movement, I have just finished watching a set of responses on the website Confused Matthew.com. I won't bore you with the details but it does allude to something I do want to talk about. So first a bit of background:
Confused Matthew is a film reviewer. He has some strong views about certain films. He reviewed 2001 a Space Odyssey. He concluded that it was a film about nothing. Then a you tube user Chasemelendez responded to this. This user vehemently opposes Confused Matthew's view. Chase's response, and the original review, are simply opinions. Yet somehow these opinions, certainly from Chase, are stated as fact and that is what I want to talk about.
My likes and dislikes, particularly in school, were almost always out side of the norm. I am a big science fiction fan and can quote large potions of dialogue and recognise certain episodes by a few seconds of footage. Yes this makes me a nerd, or is it geek, well I no longer care.
In school I was, I hesitate to say bullied for, but certainly teased for liking science fiction. Some how in the minds of children, this was in high school, science fiction was bad. In fact, and I can't remember the exact quote, I have heard it said that Battlestar Galactica can't be science fiction 'because its good'.
So I have this to say. Like what you like. This is not something you need to apologise for. Thinking of school again we once had a pot luck quiz - on one of those end of year things - and the question was asked: Who played Captain Kirk in Star Trek? - In that moment I was everyone's friend.
As a general rule in school I found myself thinking, 'Ever be a friend or not.' In a strange way flip flopping between these two extremes is more annoying than having people hate you.
I'm rambling. Here's a video.
This video is tangentially related to what I've been talking about. True its tangential but I just like to plug Sfdebris and his reviews.
This video is about Threshold. This is a Star Trek: Voyager episode. In Star Trek circles this is considered the worse Voyager episode and possible the worst thing with the Star Trek name (though that might belong to Enterprise's A Night in Sickbay) but that's not what I'm discussing. He talks about opinions and the importance of respecting the opinions of others.
I don't like football. However if I one day had a girlfriend who loved it and wanted to go and see it in Brazil. Then I'd go along and enjoy the sights while she sat in the stadium. Similarly at home I can go in another room and write.
So to round of this rambling let me bring this back to what I started with. Don't worry about what others like. The videos I mentioned at the beginning are simply opinions. Some people feel threatened when someone else says that they dislike the other person's favourite thing,
"I'd Really Rather You Didn't Act Like A Sanctimonious Holier-Than-Thou Ass When Describing My Noodly Goodness. If Some People Don't Believe In Me, That's Okay. Really, I'm Not That Vain. Besides, This Isn't About Them So Don't Change The Subject." Flying Spaghetti Monster.
Happy New Year.
Thursday 23 December 2010
Sunday 19 December 2010
Writer's Blog 2010-12-19
I Don't Believe It
The snow here in Cardiff is incredible. If you added up all the snow from all the 18ths of December (counting from yesterday) from my lifetime it would not equal this amount of snow.
Unfortunately I've grown up. At one time I would have loved snow like this and now I tend to think 'damn the snow!' It has prevented me from getting to two parties all ready.
I know what you're thinking. You're thinking that grumbling about the weather is just so British and pointless. You are of course right.
My idea of adding cooking information to this blog is probably a strange one. Nevertheless I wanted to add more cookery information to this blog. I made a chow mein. It was remarkable how painless it was. I didn't follow a recipe and it was almost as simple as a throw it together slow cooked meal.
Finley chopped onions (400g)
Chicken (2 breast - cubed)
Carrots (400g - finely chopped)
Noodles (I use rice noodles from Tesco)
Peas (About two hand fulls
Soy Sauce
Vinegar
Water
Oil
Fry the onions keep stirring until they are nicely cooked and the chicken and fry until golden-brown. Throw in the carrots then add soy, vinegar and water. You don't want too much of this. I add in tea spoons. Three, three and three. When the carrots have began to cook throw in the peas. The noodles should be added as the last thing. Mix it around until the noodles are cooked. Hopefully you should have a nice dinner.
Okay no writing again on this writers blog but I will be back next week.
The snow here in Cardiff is incredible. If you added up all the snow from all the 18ths of December (counting from yesterday) from my lifetime it would not equal this amount of snow.
Unfortunately I've grown up. At one time I would have loved snow like this and now I tend to think 'damn the snow!' It has prevented me from getting to two parties all ready.
I know what you're thinking. You're thinking that grumbling about the weather is just so British and pointless. You are of course right.
My idea of adding cooking information to this blog is probably a strange one. Nevertheless I wanted to add more cookery information to this blog. I made a chow mein. It was remarkable how painless it was. I didn't follow a recipe and it was almost as simple as a throw it together slow cooked meal.
Finley chopped onions (400g)
Chicken (2 breast - cubed)
Carrots (400g - finely chopped)
Noodles (I use rice noodles from Tesco)
Peas (About two hand fulls
Soy Sauce
Vinegar
Water
Oil
Fry the onions keep stirring until they are nicely cooked and the chicken and fry until golden-brown. Throw in the carrots then add soy, vinegar and water. You don't want too much of this. I add in tea spoons. Three, three and three. When the carrots have began to cook throw in the peas. The noodles should be added as the last thing. Mix it around until the noodles are cooked. Hopefully you should have a nice dinner.
Okay no writing again on this writers blog but I will be back next week.
Wednesday 15 December 2010
Writer's Blog 2010-12-15
Soup
Well this is a little later than planed. I was ill on Sunday but there it is in all its anti-glory. It actually tastes a lot better than it looks.
What is in it? I hear you ask?
No.
Well just in case your interested.
400g Onions
400g Carrots
Nub of Ginger
Tin of Chick peas
Tin of Tomatoes
1 Tbsp Spicy Power
Water
Stock cube.
As this is a slow cooked meal it is very easy to make.
1) Peal and finely chop the onions,
2) Peal and chop the carrots,
.normally I chop carrots into rings and then into quarters,
3) Peal the ginger and then cut thinly,
4) Open the tin of Chick Peas,
5) Open the tin of tomartoes,
6) Put the onions,carrots, ginger, chick peas and tomatoes in the slow cooker,
7) Pour water over the meal (this depends on the size of the slow cooker - for mine this makes enough for five.) and add the spices (whatever you like)
8) Add stock cube - no need to crumble it. - (you can throw some frozen veg in at this stage if you like)
9) Add the lid - cook for seven hours - and blend.
Blending is not absolutely necessary. This was quite a nice soup.
Slow cooking is very simple and effective. Almost any ingredients will work and you can just throw them in. I'd recommend at least five hours. This can even work for meat. Though I'd say that beef could do with closer to nine hours. Poultry is fine after five hours.
Happy Cooking.
Well this is a little later than planed. I was ill on Sunday but there it is in all its anti-glory. It actually tastes a lot better than it looks.
What is in it? I hear you ask?
No.
Well just in case your interested.
400g Onions
400g Carrots
Nub of Ginger
Tin of Chick peas
Tin of Tomatoes
1 Tbsp Spicy Power
Water
Stock cube.
As this is a slow cooked meal it is very easy to make.
1) Peal and finely chop the onions,
2) Peal and chop the carrots,
.normally I chop carrots into rings and then into quarters,
3) Peal the ginger and then cut thinly,
4) Open the tin of Chick Peas,
5) Open the tin of tomartoes,
6) Put the onions,carrots, ginger, chick peas and tomatoes in the slow cooker,
7) Pour water over the meal (this depends on the size of the slow cooker - for mine this makes enough for five.) and add the spices (whatever you like)
8) Add stock cube - no need to crumble it. - (you can throw some frozen veg in at this stage if you like)
9) Add the lid - cook for seven hours - and blend.
Blending is not absolutely necessary. This was quite a nice soup.
Slow cooking is very simple and effective. Almost any ingredients will work and you can just throw them in. I'd recommend at least five hours. This can even work for meat. Though I'd say that beef could do with closer to nine hours. Poultry is fine after five hours.
Happy Cooking.
Saturday 11 December 2010
Writer's Blog 2010-12-11
When I was in high school a stupid thing used to happen. We would be called into assembly and the teachers would then tell us about the importance of attending assemblies. This was almost literally preaching to the choir.
Why am I talking about this?
Because I'm about to talk about attracting readers to this blog. Simply put I want more readers. I want to have some sort of web profile. And the only way I can do this is to post information with those that already read this blog. So How can I increase my web presence?
"You could try interesting content."
The giraffe has a point. - Was that too random?
So, what would qualify as interesting?
Many of the people I watch on You Tube - I know slightly different thing - have content almost entirely from their views. Obviously it can't start that way. So how does it start. Naturally I'm not expecting an answer here but it would be interesting to find out.
So I want to start on the road to something that will attract more attention.
There are some cheep and cheerful ways of doing this. I could, for instance, just write words from google's top search list. Which would be misleading when people arrived and found nothing to do with those words.
Food.
Food could be something I could write about. Would that be of interest. Mostly I cook slow cooked meals. These are really simple and if you know about them it really starts to make the 'I can't cook." claim sound ridicules.
So perhaps that is what I'll do. So. If you've stumbled upon this blog by accident tell me what you'd like to see. Is there some story related thing you'd like.
Write a story with three items, for instance.
This is just scribblings. I hope that for you, the reader, it has been interesting too. Let me know what I can do.
So tomorrow I'll try posting a food related post.
We shall see where this goes.
Why am I talking about this?
Because I'm about to talk about attracting readers to this blog. Simply put I want more readers. I want to have some sort of web profile. And the only way I can do this is to post information with those that already read this blog. So How can I increase my web presence?
"You could try interesting content."
The giraffe has a point. - Was that too random?
So, what would qualify as interesting?
Many of the people I watch on You Tube - I know slightly different thing - have content almost entirely from their views. Obviously it can't start that way. So how does it start. Naturally I'm not expecting an answer here but it would be interesting to find out.
So I want to start on the road to something that will attract more attention.
There are some cheep and cheerful ways of doing this. I could, for instance, just write words from google's top search list. Which would be misleading when people arrived and found nothing to do with those words.
Food.
Food could be something I could write about. Would that be of interest. Mostly I cook slow cooked meals. These are really simple and if you know about them it really starts to make the 'I can't cook." claim sound ridicules.
So perhaps that is what I'll do. So. If you've stumbled upon this blog by accident tell me what you'd like to see. Is there some story related thing you'd like.
Write a story with three items, for instance.
This is just scribblings. I hope that for you, the reader, it has been interesting too. Let me know what I can do.
So tomorrow I'll try posting a food related post.
We shall see where this goes.
Wednesday 8 December 2010
Dictionary Stories 2010-12-08
Yacht
"What a stupid language," the writer said. He said it out loud as he tried to think up a story about yachts. On a whim he looked it up on a Google image search and then Google definitions. And a yacht is a large luxurious ship or a smaller vessel that requires a high degree of physicality to operate.
Another idea came to his mind. A Captain's yacht. Perhaps that is just a Star Trek invention!
The idea for a story did not come. Perhaps he was thinking to hard. He close this eyes and decided to write what came to mind.
Peter set foot aboard the yacht. It was grand. He had a beautiful cabin overlooking the sea. It was positioned just below the bridge. He stretched out on the sofa and watched as the ship set off. He had been awaiting this cruise for sometime. He had been saving his money. Now the time had come. His novel had sold millions and he owned a beautiful boat.
The author realised he had no ideas. He was sitting on a rowing boat on a small lake. But he could dream.
"What a stupid language," the writer said. He said it out loud as he tried to think up a story about yachts. On a whim he looked it up on a Google image search and then Google definitions. And a yacht is a large luxurious ship or a smaller vessel that requires a high degree of physicality to operate.
Another idea came to his mind. A Captain's yacht. Perhaps that is just a Star Trek invention!
The idea for a story did not come. Perhaps he was thinking to hard. He close this eyes and decided to write what came to mind.
Peter set foot aboard the yacht. It was grand. He had a beautiful cabin overlooking the sea. It was positioned just below the bridge. He stretched out on the sofa and watched as the ship set off. He had been awaiting this cruise for sometime. He had been saving his money. Now the time had come. His novel had sold millions and he owned a beautiful boat.
The author realised he had no ideas. He was sitting on a rowing boat on a small lake. But he could dream.
Sunday 5 December 2010
Dictionary Stories 2010-12-05
Xenoglossia
Once again the imagination fails to be sparked by this word. Ironically I've just been watching a Stargate SG-1 episode, 'The Fifth Race', where Colonel O'Neill has this ability.
'Xenoglossia is the putative paranormal phenomenon in which a person is able to speak or write a language he or she could not have acquired by natural means.' - is the definition according to faithful Wikipedia.
Wouldn't that be a great thing? I'd love to be able to just innately pick up a language like that. However as I proved the other day I even seem to have problems with English!
I had some work read out in class last week and there were, unfortunately, a lot of mistakes in it. Most of these were centered around speech. Somehow language changes around speech. Maybe I'm just being dense but it does seem like the rules of punctuation are changed when speech marks are involved. Well I've edited the chapter now and will actually get back to writing. As any writer will know editing is bad and boring.
Here is a picture of me holding magazines.
This is writing magazine. As you can see they are still in their cellophane wrapping. Don't let that fool you. These have very good articles for the budding writer. Advice, interviews; the works. I just don't always get around to reading them. However one interesting thing I read in the previous issue was a way to get round getting stuck. Basically it said to meander. To describe more thoroughly. Or even to kill a character. This allows for something to be written, rather than giving up, and in the process the path of the novel become clear.
Well once again this hasn't been a story. However I have high hopes for the next world which is - Yacht. I am sure to think of something for that.
Bye.
Once again the imagination fails to be sparked by this word. Ironically I've just been watching a Stargate SG-1 episode, 'The Fifth Race', where Colonel O'Neill has this ability.
'Xenoglossia is the putative paranormal phenomenon in which a person is able to speak or write a language he or she could not have acquired by natural means.' - is the definition according to faithful Wikipedia.
Wouldn't that be a great thing? I'd love to be able to just innately pick up a language like that. However as I proved the other day I even seem to have problems with English!
I had some work read out in class last week and there were, unfortunately, a lot of mistakes in it. Most of these were centered around speech. Somehow language changes around speech. Maybe I'm just being dense but it does seem like the rules of punctuation are changed when speech marks are involved. Well I've edited the chapter now and will actually get back to writing. As any writer will know editing is bad and boring.
Here is a picture of me holding magazines.
This is writing magazine. As you can see they are still in their cellophane wrapping. Don't let that fool you. These have very good articles for the budding writer. Advice, interviews; the works. I just don't always get around to reading them. However one interesting thing I read in the previous issue was a way to get round getting stuck. Basically it said to meander. To describe more thoroughly. Or even to kill a character. This allows for something to be written, rather than giving up, and in the process the path of the novel become clear.
Well once again this hasn't been a story. However I have high hopes for the next world which is - Yacht. I am sure to think of something for that.
Bye.
Thursday 2 December 2010
Writer's Blog 2010-12-02
Happy December!
The countdown to Christmas has begun. I know I'm an adult now because that thought more produces fear rather than excitement! I used to count the days - not so any more. Now Christmas seems far too close. I still have university to think about.
Speaking of which the cold weather, we've had snow in this par of Wales, has caused problems at university. The servers have been down and hence printing has been a problem. The story is that the pipe bust and crapped out the server. They're predicting that it could be a couple of weeks before its all up and running again.
How quickly we come to rely on technology! Luckily the Atrium, the Cardiff site for the University of Glamorgan, was working - well sort of. Printing was possible - just, just not in the way it usually is. To be honest I don't completely understand the technical issues involved. Anyway the long and short of it is that I was able to print my timed assignment and hand it in - woo whoo!
It was nice though to see the comradery between the students. Information was posted on Facebook and we were able to discuss the situation. However there was little information to give out as we couldn't email our tutors!
I'll be back later in the well with a dictionary story.
Some people become so expert at reading between the lines they don't read the lines. -Margaret Millar, novelist (1915-1994) Wordsmith.org
The countdown to Christmas has begun. I know I'm an adult now because that thought more produces fear rather than excitement! I used to count the days - not so any more. Now Christmas seems far too close. I still have university to think about.
Speaking of which the cold weather, we've had snow in this par of Wales, has caused problems at university. The servers have been down and hence printing has been a problem. The story is that the pipe bust and crapped out the server. They're predicting that it could be a couple of weeks before its all up and running again.
How quickly we come to rely on technology! Luckily the Atrium, the Cardiff site for the University of Glamorgan, was working - well sort of. Printing was possible - just, just not in the way it usually is. To be honest I don't completely understand the technical issues involved. Anyway the long and short of it is that I was able to print my timed assignment and hand it in - woo whoo!
It was nice though to see the comradery between the students. Information was posted on Facebook and we were able to discuss the situation. However there was little information to give out as we couldn't email our tutors!
I'll be back later in the well with a dictionary story.
Some people become so expert at reading between the lines they don't read the lines. -Margaret Millar, novelist (1915-1994) Wordsmith.org
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